Jan. 26, 2017, 11:42 a.m.

California lawmakers will have a chance to meet the Legislature's new outside counsel on Feb. 7, when former U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. travels to the state to address Senate and Assembly Democrats.

Holder, leading a team of attorneys from the firm Covington & Burling, has been hired by Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) to serve as outside counsel as the state prepares a legal strategy to deal with the administration of President Trump.

But Senate and Assembly staff officials said his invitation to meet with lawmakers was extended prior to the contract, which begins in February, and that Holder is making the trip on his own personal time. His travel and accommodations expenses will not be paid with state funds, and his appearances will not be part of his billable hours, they said.

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Jan. 26, 2017, 11:36 a.m.

While the race to succeed Gov. Jerry Brown already has attracted a small cadre of well-known Democrats, the behind-the-scenes strategizing, cajoling and guessing games surrounding a handful of other potential contenders could create havoc in what’s expected to be California’s biggest political showdown since 2010.

Among those watching closely are the candidates already definitely in the running, including Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and state Treasurer John Chiang.

Delaine Eastin, who spent eight years as California's top education official, announced she was running in November and officially launched her campaign — and fundraising operation — on Thursday.

In an interview on the MSNBC show "The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell," De León said California was working with former U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. to study all of its legal options to oppose the directives. Under the 10th Amendment, the state Senate leader said, the federal government cannot commandeer and force local municipalities and police agencies from carrying out their work.

The appearance came hours after Trump signed orders to temporarily halt the U.S. refugee program, cut funding for cities that offer immigrants protections and order federal officials to construct a U.S.-Mexico border wall.

With President Donald Trump rehashing last year's accusation of widespread voter fraud in California and elsewhere, the state's top elections official is also restating his take: It's not true.

"When the president says millions of illegal ballots are cast, that’s simply not the case," said Secretary of State Alex Padilla in an interview on CNN Wednesday. "It's a lie."

As was the case when Trump made the accusation in November, there's no evidence of such a broad attempt to sway the outcome in California. The president lost the Golden State to Democrat Hillary Clinton by almost 4.3 million votes.

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Jan. 25, 2017, 4:24 p.m.

The race is officially on in the 34th Congressional District, after Gov. Jerry Brown officially set the date for a special election to replace former Rep. Xavier Becerra, who resigned Monday to become California's attorney general.

The primary election will take place on April 4, according to a proclamation Brown issued Wednesday afternoon.

If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, a general election will be held June 6.

This means that the CA34 elections WON'T be consolidated with already-scheduled city elections in LA, where most of the district lies https://t.co/AjRCxuv6XI

Jan. 25, 2017, 1:44 p.m.

California's congressional delegation responded largely with dismay Wednesday to President Trump's executive orders to begin building a wall along the country's southern border, cut off funding for cities that don't comply with federal immigration enforcement officials and expand lockup facilities for those caught entering the country illegally.

Raiding immigrant communities & building a #WallOfHate – this isn’t who we are. We will #resist these xenophobic, anti-immigrant policies.

Rep. Linda Sanchez of Whittier, vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus, called Trump's plans for a wall "absurd" and "reckless," and said Americans will end up footing the bill, not Mexico as Trump insists.

"This is a waste of everyone’s time and money, and does not address the fundamental need for comprehensive reform to fix our broken immigration system. If history has taught us anything it is that walls are expensive, unnecessary and people ultimately find ways around them,” she said in a statement.

The House Select Intelligence Committee is examining allegations that the Russian government tried to influence the 2016 election, Republican Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes and ranking Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff said in a statement Wednesday.

The two Californians said the committee is looking at Russian cyber activity and "other active measures" directed against the U.S. It also will examine links between Russia and people working for political campaigns as well as the federal response to Russia, including leaks of classified assessments from the intelligence community.